Germany on track to replace nukes with renewables

November 12, 2015

Contrary to claims made by pro-nuclear advocates, germany is managing its nuclear shutdown quite well.

Amory Lovins explains why in an article which appeared in Forbes

Before the March 2011 Fukushima disaster, both Germany and Japan were nearly 30% nuclear-pow­ered. In the next four months, Germany restored, and sped up by a year, the nuclear phaseout schedule originally agreed with industry in 2001–02. With the concurrence of all political parties, 41% of Germany’s nuclear power capacity—eight units of 17, including five similar to those at Fukushima and seven from the 1970s—got promptly shut down, with the rest to follow during 2015–22.

[…] the output lost when those eight reactors closed in 2011 was entirely replaced in the same year—59% by the 2011 growth of renewables, 6% by more-efficient use, and 36% by temporarily reduced electricity exports. Through 2012, Germany’s loss of 2010 nuclear output was 94% offset by renewable growth; through 2013, 108%. At this rate, renewable growth would replace Germany’s entire pre-Fukushima nuclear output by 2016.

Amory Lovins, “How Opposite Energy Policies Turned The Fukushima Disaster Into A Loss For Japan And A Win For Germany”

 

Old_Notes

TPP details released by NZ parliament

November 12, 2015

The New Zealand government, which signed on to the TPP, put the contents of the agreement on its website last Thursday, saying it would continue to undergo legal review.

The Australian Free Trade and Investment Network has been sceptical of the ISDS clause, and of the TPP more broadly.

“The general ‘safeguards’ in the text [regarding ISDS] are qualified, and similar to those in other recent agreements which have not prevented cases against health and environmental laws,” coordinator of the network, Patricia Ranald, said. “They do not address the fundamental flaws of an unfair international tribunal system which has no independent judiciary, no precedents and no appeals.”

 

Old_Notes

“Don’t Nuke the Climate” bloc at the People’s Climate Rally Nov 29th

November 10, 2015

Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 1.39.38 PMOn November 29th, will you help create the biggest climate march the world has ever seen?

As world leaders gather in Paris to discuss a global agreement on climate change, we will be part of an international movement- on Sunday November 29th.

Starting from the Torrens Parade Ground, we will march for a transition to renewable energy, secure job creation, and a fairer, more resilient economy, for clean air, a healthy environment, and for a safe climate in the People’s Jobs Justice Climate March.

In a vibrant, musical, and visually creative show of people power and the diversity of our movement, the march will take us down King William Street through the centre of Adelaide.

We will march in sector blocks, each making up a part of the collective, while demonstrating its unique qualities through banners, placards, costumes etc.

At Victoria Square/Tarndanyangga the march will blend into a festival, where there will be music, food, speeches, and stalls.

Join the anti-nuclear “Don’t Nuke the Climate” block and march behind our SA: RENEWABLE NOT RADIOACTIVE banner. Meet 10:30am Torrens Parade Ground on the day.

Contact Robyn Wood for more info robyn.wood@foe.org.au 0423 219 096

 

Actions, Clean Futures, Climate, Nuclear, Old_Notes

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“This Changes Everything” at Mitcham and Noarlunga

November 10, 2015

If you missed Conservation SA’s recent screening of Naomi Klein’s “This Changes Everything” you have another chance to catch it, at Wallis Cinemas Noarlunga on Thursday November 12 or Wallis Cinemas Mitcham, 119 Belair Rd, Torrens Park on Thursday November 26.  Tickets need to be pre-purchased at the links.

Filmed over 211 shoot days in nine countries and five continents over four years, This Changes Everything is an epic attempt to re-imagine the vast challenge of climate change.

Directed by Avi Lewis, and inspired by Naomi Klein’s international non-fiction bestseller This Changes Everything, the film presents seven powerful portraits of communities on the front lines, from Montana’s Powder River Basin to the Alberta Tar Sands, from the coast of South India to Beijing and beyond.

Interwoven with these stories of struggle is Klein’s narration, connecting the carbon in the air with the economic system that put it there. Throughout the film, Klein builds to her most controversial and exciting idea: that we can seize the existential crisis of climate change to transform our failed economic system into something radically better.

Climate

Media Release: THE APPEARANCE OF BIAS – NOT A GOOD LOOK

November 6, 2015

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday 5th November, 2015

THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE:

THE APPEARANCE OF BIAS – NOT A GOOD LOOK

Today the Royal Commission into the Nuclear Fuel Cycle will be hearing oral evidence from London based insurance company Nuclear Risk Insurers, on the subject of insuring against a nuclear accident.  On 1st October 2015, Dr Timothy Stone, member of the Royal Commission’s Executive Advisory Committee, was appointed director of this company.

“How critically will evidence given by this company be treated, when a member of the Executive Advisory Committee is also one of its directors?” asked Nectaria Calan of Friends of the Earth Adelaide.

On Friday 30th October GE Hitachi gave oral evidence to the Royal Commission on their new PRISM reactor design.  GE Hitachi is a global nuclear alliance between General Electric (US) and Hitachi (Japan).  Hitachi is the parent company of Horizon Nuclear Power, a UK energy company developing new nuclear power stations, of which Dr Stone is also a director.

“Dr Stone’s connections with these companies highlights the broader issue here, which is his direct involvement in the nuclear industry, regardless of whether companies he’s employed by are giving evidence. He also owns Alpha-n Infrastructure, an elusive company with a partially built website which promotes nuclear power. This interest has not been disclosed by the Royal Commission on its website,” said Ms Calan.

Dr Stone is not the only Royal Commission member directly involved in the nuclear industry. Julian Kelly, its Technical Research Team Leader, is currently the Chief Technology Officer of Thor Energy, a Norwegian company focusing on the use of Thorium in nuclear reactors.

“If you’re directly involved in the very industry the Royal Commission is considering expanding, you potentially stand to gain something if a recommendation is made that this industry expand.  At the very least there is an appearance of bias here that will undermine the credibility of the Royal Commissions findings,” said Ms Calan.

Details on today’s public session can be found here:

http://nuclearrc.sa.gov.au/app/uploads/2015/10/151105-Topic-12-Day-1.pdf

For comment contact:

Nectaria Calan

Friends of the Earth Adelaide

 

Clean Futures, Media releases, Nuclear, Old_Notes

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